Plate-bending machine.



Ru T. JOHNSTON.

PLATE BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1907. RENEWED APR. 8, 1914.

1,1 16,436. Patented NOV. 10, 1914.

2 SHBETS SHEBT l.

THE NORRIS PETERS-CO., PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGION. D. c,

R. T. JOHNSTON.

PLATE BENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1907. RENEWED APR. 8, 1914. 1,1 16,436. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTA'rEsrarENT OFFICE.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON,0F SCOTCH PLAINS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WOOD &

NATHAN COMPANY, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PLATE-BENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented NOV. 10, 1914.

Application filed April 6, 1907, Serial No. 366,769. Renewed April 8, 1914. Serial No. 830,539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rosana T. J onns'ron,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Scotch Plains, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Plate-Bending Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine which while capable of general use for bending purposes is especiallyadapted for bending printing plates, such as those used in intaglio printing.

ranged inside the periphery of theplate carrying cylinder for forming a clamping lip on the plate by means of which. it may be attached to the printing cylinder, and to ac- ,comphsh these results in a simple manner by means of a machine which Wlll be inexpensive in cost of construction and will have few parts which are liable to get out of order in use. p

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of this invention and in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of one form of a bending machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same partly broken away to show theintcrior construction. Fig. 3is a central transverse sectional view of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a fragmentary end elevation with portions removed. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the rotary carrier showing the clamping and lip forming de- V100.

tion of one of the sprocket wheels with Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a porthe chain thereon, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan of the endless series of rollers. i i

The machine is shown as provided with a movable carrier 10 which preferably rotates,

upon which the plates 2) which is designed to be bent is secured. In order to clamp the plate to the carrier, the latter is provided with a clamping block 11 having a jaw .12 with a surface inclined with respect to the surface of thecarrier. The carrier is pro vided with a corresponding jaw 13, and between these jaws the end of the plate is se-' cured by tightening up the block 11 by means of a screw 14 or the like. The carrier is designed to act to bend the plate by rotating and drawing it into a space formed between the carrier and the inner surface of theconcave bending shell 15 which is made cylindrical and concentric with the rotary carrier. The mere drawing of the plate into the space between the shell and carrier by the rotation of the latter would result inbending the plate, and this maybe done in some cases, itv being understood that a sheet of hard paper or other suitable material is mounted on the carrier with theplate to protect its face. As the plate is bent to the circumference of the cylinder, its end which is clamped between the jaws liland 13 is bent over to form the clamping lip by means of which the plate isto be mounted on the cylinder of the printing press. .In

of the plate or the paper. which is applied to it I have provided the device with an endless traveling concave bending. surface comprising a series of traveling rollers16, each one tree to .rotate on its axis. In order to carry these rollers each one is provided with a cavity in its end, and a pair of endless chains 17 are mounted in such position that studs 18 projecting therefrom into thesecavities hold the roll ers in position upon. the chain, each one being free to rotate on its own axis.

The chain and rollers preferably pass around the shell or segment 15, as is most clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The chains pass over sprocket-wheels 19 loosely mounted on a shaft 20. The concave shell 15 is provided with convex semi-cylindrical ends 21j over];

which the rollers can travel in an obvious manner, to bend the lipon the plate. The rollers are supported by one of these convex surfaces at this time. They are driven; by

frictional contact with the plate or protecting material thereon, which gives a per rollers and eliminates all chances of rubbing or marring the surfaces of the plates. The

feet rolling action between the plate and sprockets 29 on the opposite shaft 30 are fastened to it and tend to keep the rollers parallel to the plate carrying cylinder.

The shaft 20 may be provided with any desired kind of power mechanism, but the machine can most conveniently be operated by hand, and I have shown a crank-handle 22 for turning the shaft which is provided with a pinion 23 meshing with an internal gear 24: on a shaft 25, on which the rotary carrier 10 is mounted. It will be seen that by means of this construction the operator can stand in such po- 'sition as to face'the machine while turning the crank in the natural way to the right. The bending rollers which constitute the surface against which the plate bears are supported through their length by the concave surface of the bending shell, and consequently they present substantially the same shape to the plateto be operated upon, moreover, as the plate enters the space between the two bending surfaces it first enga es the convex surface formed by the rollers on theend 21, so that the plate is gradually brought to its curved shape.

While I have illustrated and described a particular form in which I prefer to embody this invention, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown, but

What I do; claim is 1 A plate bending machine having a Totary cylindrical plate carrier for receiving the plate,and a frame provided with a substantially radial surface for engaging the extreme edge of the plateand a second surface between the first named surface and the circumference of the plate carrier forming an angle therewith, whereby the plate is bent within the circumference of the carrier to form a lip.

2. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a rotary cylindrical plate carrier for receiving the plate and having a recess therein, of a clamp fitting in said recess for 4. In a bending machine, the-combination of a concave shell, and a movable carrier arranged adjacent thereto, said shell havingan endless concave bending surface movable along the concave part of the shell.

In a plate bending machine, the combination of a rotary carrier, and a shell arranged adjacent thereto having a concave surface for receiving the carrier anda convex surface at its end, and an endless series of rollers adapted to pass over the convex surface to bend a plate held by the carrier. 6. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a rotary plate carrier, a shell having a concave surface for receiving the carrier and a convex surface at the end thereof, and an endless series of rollers adapted to move in contact with said surfaces and supported by the convex surface when a plate on the carrier comes into contact with the rolls for receiving its initial bend. r

7. In a bendin machine, the combination of a concave she l, a rotary carrier, a pair of endless chains arranged adjacent to the shell, and a series of freely rotatablerollers on said chains movable alon the concave surface of the shell adjacent to. the rotary carrier. i

8. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a concave shell, a carrier for the plates, a pair of endless chains, sprocketwheels for supporting said chains, each chain having a series of studs extending toward the other chain, and a series of rollers mounted to freely rotate on said studs.

9. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a concave shell, a carrier, an endless series of rollers arranged on the surface of the shell between the shell and, the carrier, and means for moving the carrier and rollers. j

1 0. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a rotary carrier, a shell having a surface adjacent to the carrier, a series of rotatable rollers, chains for supporting said rollers, sprocket wheels'carrying said chains, a shaft on which said sprocket wheelsare loosely mounted, and means connected with said shaft for rotating the rotary carrier. I

11. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a rotary carrier, a shell having a surface adj acent'to the'carrier, a series of rotatable rollers, chains for supporting said rollers, sprocket wheels carrying said chains, a shaft on which said sprocket wheels are loosely mounted, a pinion on the shaft, an

internal gear connected with the rotary carrier and meshing with the pinion, and a crank on the shaft for operating the same.-

12. In a plate bending machine, the combination of a'pl'ate carrier, a shell adjacent thereto, an endless series of rolls adapted to pass between the carrier and shell, a pair of shafts, one of Which is positively driven, sprocket Wheels loosely mounted on said driven shaft for carrying said rolls, and sprocket Wheels fixed to the other shaft for guiding the rolls and keeping them in alinement with the plate carrier.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT T. JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

V. W. NASH, J12, A. D. JOHNSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of 25mm,

Washington, D. G. 

